Stress, anxiety, coping and support from nurses as frontline workers caring for Covid-19 patients
List of Authors
  • Norhanaza Mohd Yunos , Rasidah Mohamed

Keyword
  • Frontlines, Level of Anxiety and Stress, Coping Strategies, Types of Support

Abstract
  • Purpose: The purpose of this study is to recommend and develop intervention strategies to support the COVID-19 nurses as frontlines from experiencing post traumatise by comparing their level of anxiety and stress and coping capacity in selected government hospitals in the Klang Valley. Objectives: To explore frontline workers experiences, to assess nurses level of anxiety and stress in caring for COVID-19 patients, to determine the level of coping ability of nurses in caring of COVID-19 patients in relation to their demographic data and to compare nurses coping capacity in caring of COVID-19 patients among different units (ICU and wards) in two different hospitals. Design: Quantitative questionnaires survey. Setting: Intensive Care Unit, High Dependency Unit and COVID 19 wards, Hospital Kuala Lumpur and Hospital Sg Buloh, Malaysia. Sample: One hundred eight (n=108) Registered Nurses caring of COVID 19 patients. Findings: Participants experienced mild level of anxiety and mild to moderate level of stress with mean scores 1.03 to 1.97 and 1.81 to 2.53 respectively. In general, correlation between level of anxiety and coping strategies was significant for items of religion and friends or family support (ρ = 0.005 and 0.353 and ρ = 0.042 and 0.049. In addition, all the other coping strategies domains and individual items reported no correlation between level of anxiety and stress. Conclusion: Experiencing or witnessing life threatening and traumatic events in life can have short-term and long-term effects on the individual. However, choosing the correct coping strategy and relevant types of support resources could mitigate the effects. In addition, support from subordinates, friends, family, organisation, government, and public could help in motivating frontline workers from this overwhelming pandemic.

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